US Acknowledges North Korea’s Nuclear Capabilities as Threat Against America

North Korea has demonstrated significant development in its nuclear and missile capabilities. Even the United States admitted to this “qualitative” improvement.

North Korea: Significant Improvement

Though the capabilities of the Korean nation can be verified through unprecedented tests, the U.S. may continue pressuring Pyongyang. This is reportedly an attempt by the United States to bring North Korea back to disarmament.

Antony Blinken, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, attended a joint news conference where he met his Japanese and South Korean counterparts. At the conference, he said that the North has conducted 24 missile tests in the past year; two were nuclear tests.

In addition, he stated that if the progress was a so-called failure, it could still be considered a development, according to Reuters. Blinken said that the North could easily apply what it has learned from its mistakes.

“And in our assessment, we have a qualitative improvement in their capabilities in the past year as a result of this unprecedented level of activity,” Blinken said, adding that as the days pass, the North is becoming a greater threat.

North’s leader, Kim Jong Un, said that his country is at the final stages of test-launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Furthermore, he added that the ICBM could someday hit the United States.

According to Blinken, it is important for the United States, Japan, South Korea and other countries to take action. Moreover, he talked about encouraging cooperation to defend against the threat.

In fact, Bilken said it is important to mount comprehensive pressure on the North. He said that they would make the nation stop these programs and invite it back to the negotiating table, open to participate in a denuclearization program.

North Korea: United States’ Move

The issue became more significant as the U.S. Military and the intelligence community are keeping a closer look.

Personnel development or movement, weapons and key leadership decisions in North will be closely watched. In fact, all these aspects are to be entirely analyzed to predict future moves by the regime.

According to CNN, the two U.S. officials stressed that the North has always been closely watched by U.S. satellites and surveillance aircraft and radars. However, a number of intelligence analysts are going through the collected data to make sure nothing is missed.

North Korea United States’ Improvement

While North Korea is overpowering its nuclear capabilities, the U.S. declared that it is making significant improvements by making enhancements in nuclear and conventional deterrent capabilities.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter has announced in a statement that North Korea is acting as a threat to U.S. Furthermore, he stated that the North is a threat to allies in the Asia-Pacific region.

“In the face of North Korea’s continued nuclear and missile provocations, we’re improving our nuclear and conventional deterrent capabilities,” Carter said. In addition, he also said that the U.S. could take action whenever necessary. Its troops are ready at the Korean peninsula.